Introduction and implementation of academic program in Community Youth Work (CYW) through enhancing interregional cooperation in the countries of Western Balkan

The project will reintroduce profession of CYW into the region for reasons explained in the document. The need for professionals in CYW is sufficiently justified in the social, educational and civil sector academia collaboration sense. The region has known the CWA-like profession in the past and the societies have thus even more severely suffered from lack of the profession. The profession – embodied in academically trained experts – exists within EU educational framework. Experience of UJ was used to make implementation in the region much easier. Diversity of stakeholders – civil sector, academia, state-funded universities, privately-funded universities, EU-partners and local partners made this project very challenging and full of opportunities. Project demonstrates possibility to organize CYW training within different legislatives and academic practices. State funded universities are treated twofold – first group contains those willing to implement CYW at BA level instantly, while second group rather goes more gradually – implementing electives as a first step. Privately funded universities are more flexible and are  going for the full implementation immediately. To run the CYW program at BA level where possible immediately and to create environment for running it later while implementing electives within existing programs now was the major point of this project. To boost collaboration of civil sector and academia rendering cultural, educational, ownership-based or ethnic barriers obsolete makes this project socially responsible endeavor.